Saravanan Arul's 'The Legend' review: Nothing works in this snorefest
What's the story
Tamil film The Legend starring Saravanan Arul and Urvashi Rautela in principal roles hit the big screens on Thursday.
It's about a young NRI scientist returning to his native village in India to serve his people.
While the main plot itself is a rip-off of Rajinikanth's Sivaji, directors Jerald Arockiam and Joseph D Sami further derail the film with middling execution.
Here's our review.
Story
Here's what the film is all about
A scientist, who is well known by academics across the world, moves back to his ancestral home in a remote village with an aim to provide education and medical access to the village.
There is an antagonist, who runs a pharmaceutical company and illegally runs tests on abducted people.
What happens when their lives spill onto each other forms the rest of the plot.
Performance
Poor performance of lead actors topples film beyond repair
Arul has no chemistry with leading lady Urvashi Rautela.
His preachy dialogues are packed with punch and are overdone.
Nevertheless, it is a pity that the near-earnest characterization did not really pay off because of the poor execution by the actors.
Solid performances by Nassar, Prabhu, Yogi Babu, and late actor Vivekh have also gone to waste due to the screenplay treatment.
Personal
Vivekh's characterization disappoints
Being one of his last films, fans of actor Vivekh had high expectations from The Legend. Disappointingly, he gets absolutely zero meat. His comebacks are not even close to funny and they are mostly about the women who appear on the screen.
Pros
Appealing cinematography is what keeps audience seated
The production value is top-notch.
The cinematography by Velraj aptly fits the environment of a commercial entertainer as the makers intended it to be.
Films featuring Babu are usually full of body-shaming "jokes."
But in The Legend, the leading man does not encourage such quips and nips them in the bud whenever they are attempted.
The film earns half a star just for that.
Cons
Arul's screentime is overwhelming
Arul is seen in all frames and his makeup is juvenile and tacky.
The film revolves around him, and him only, giving no scope for anyone else.
The other characters appear on screen only to sing his praises.
Rautela is energetic but does nothing but look pretty and pout.
The screenplay is loose, there is no connection between one scene and the next.
Verdict
What could have made a difference?
While the actor could be lauded for attempting a big-budget film packed with commercial elements, he should have worked more on his acting lessons.
There are too many loose ends and the movie as such does not hold your attention beyond a point.
The film suffers because it's so busy deifying Arul.
Verdict: The Legend bags 1.5 stars out of 5.